Veterinary care
Guide Dogs advises that you get a full veterinary examination for your guide or assistance dog, before undertaking any international journey. This should be done to ensure your dog is fit to travel and that they are up to date and prepared with relevant vaccinations and treatments.
Your guide or assistance dog will need to have an Animal Health Certificate in England, Scotland or Wales or PETS passport in Northern Ireland for any trips made outside of the UK, including the Republic of Ireland. The process of obtaining health certification or a passport also means your dog will be vaccinated against rabies and will be required to have a tapeworm treatment prior to re-entry into the UK. Guide dog owners are responsible for covering the costs of all treatments, vaccinations and relevant documentation relating to travelling abroad with their guide dog.
The rabies vaccination and tapeworm treatment requirements are in place for public health; however, there are many diseases your dog is at risk of contracting when visiting foreign countries that fall outside of the regulatory framework. You should discuss these with your vet and put measures in place to minimise the risk to your dog. You may also find relevant information and advice on the Department for the Environment, food and Rural Affairs website.
Guide dog owners are responsible for covering all veterinary costs for their dog while abroad. Guide Dogs will not reimburse guide dog owners for any veterinary or related costs incurred while overseas. Therefore, you may wish to consider suitable insurance for your dog, which will cover things like veterinary care, an extended time away if your dog becomes ill, and repatriation of your dog in the case of your dog returning to the UK after your return.
It is essential that you identify and have contact details for a vet in the country you are visiting. This ensures that your dog can receive appropriate veterinary care if they become ill while abroad. In addition, before returning to the UK, your dog must receive tapeworm treatment from a vet, who is legally required to record and certify the treatment in your Animal Health Certificate or PETS passport.
Considering importation requirements for your dog
Countries outside of the UK or Europe may have their own importation rules and regulations. Guide Dogs does not permit our dogs to travel to any country where the dog must be housed in an external quarantine facility upon entry or exit. It is therefore important that you find out what your destination countries import regulations are.
Consider contacting the Embassy or Consulate of the country you are planning to visit, to make sure you have all the correct paperwork and procedures in place, so that your journey with your guide or assistance dog is a success.
You may also find that the appropriate agency in the country you are visiting, designated to manage importation, may have website resources that can help you with this process. Countries such as Japan and Australia have very strict rules regarding the importation of dogs, with guide and assistance dogs being treated similarly to other pet dogs.
Your tour operator or agent of the service you are travelling with may have advice or guidance to support you with your journey, especially with regard to the specialist provision made to accommodate guide or assistance dogs and their owners.
You may also like to consider contacting the ports you are visiting along your route, to inform them that you will be entering into or departing from them with your dog, although most operators and their agents should be able to advise as to what the disembarkation or embarkation rules are in each port.
Lastly, you may be able to get support for your visit from the guide or assistance dog organisation in the country you are visiting, please be aware that you may be required to pay for this. A list of these organisations can be found at:
